Teach Me To Live
by LillyOfTheValley
Summary: Draco is a spy for the light, and Hermione has been recruited to help him. Can he reawaken something inside her that has died? COMPLETE REPOST. Read the author's note!
1. I Can Kiss Away The Pain

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters

Author's Note: So this is the repost of Teach Me To Live. Some significant details have been changed, but for the most part it has only been improved. Yes I know Draco's eyes aren't actually blue but that's how I wrote it years ago and that's how it's going to stay. I hope you enjoy the new and improved version. This story is still dedicated to the same person it was before, the advisor from my youth group who died while I was working on it. Thank you

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Somewhere along the road to my last few months at Hogwarts something inside me died. Maybe it was caused by the pressure to be perfect or the feeling that everyone was somehow counting on me. Perhaps it was the tension and fear building up to a war we all instinctively knew could come at any moment. Could be it was the uncertainty we'd all begun to feel about the world to come. At the time I couldn't quite put my finger on what had happened, I only knew that some piece of me was dead and gone. It wasn't until Draco Malfoy walked into my life that I fully understood what had happened to me.

One day I received a note at breakfast requesting a meeting that night. There was no signature, the sender merely asked that I meet them in the Room of Requirement. I don't know what possessed me to go; if I had stopped to think I would have realized that I potentially could have been putting myself in grave danger. As it was I didn't care, I figured it was someone wanting me to do their homework.

All year long Harry and Ron had been too busy with Ginny and Padma to do much and I'd been doing practically all their work. I didn't mind doing theirs, but students from all the houses had gotten wind of the fact. Since they too wanted to spend as much time as they could with their own significant others they figured if they made it worth my while I would do their homework as well. Needless to say they were wrong, and I frequently had to threaten action as Head Girl to make them leave me alone.

So that particular night I went to the Room of Requirement expecting one of the students from Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw with another offer I could easily refuse. I paced in front of the door and thought what I was requested to, then entered the room to wait. I found absolutely nothing in the room to tell me anything of use. There was a table with four chairs sitting in the middle of the room and that was it. I waited for fifteen minutes before getting up with a sigh to leave the room and go up to bed. Imagine my surprise when I turned to see Draco Malfoy walk through the door.

I came to an abrupt halt and sputtered in a rather undignified manner for a moment before I could manage to come up with a complete sentence. "Malfoy? What on earth do you want?"

He opened his mouth to respond but someone else stepped into the room behind him and shut the door quietly. "Hello Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I wonder if we could all sit down, it has been a rather long day I'm afraid.

I nodded stupidly and all three of us took a seat. "Professor I wonder if you could tell me what's going on." I said.

A familiar twinkle flashed in the Headmaster's eyes and for the first time in seven years I didn't think I liked that twinkle. "Well you see Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy here has been training for the past year as a spy for our side."

My mouth fell open in what I can only assume must have looked like an excellent impression of a cod fish, I couldn't help it. "Excuse me professor but I can't help but wonder… what in the world has this got to do with me?"

Dumbledore grinned. "You always have been excellent at moving straight to the point Miss Granger. You see, Mr. Malfoy has the perfect opportunity to spy on Voldemort seeing as he has taken over his father's position within the ranks of the Death Eaters. We have decided to at last put him into play. What we need is for you to be a liason between Draco and myself."

Now I was seriously confused. "Pardon me sir, but why can't you and Malfoy just meet directly?"

"Well Mr. Malfoy's supposed feelings towards me are widely known in and out of the school. If we were to meet on a regular basis it would look very suspicious. It would, however, not be at all out of place for me to meet with the head girl rather frequently. So you see, you are an integral part of our plan."

Silence fell and questions ran endlessly through my head. Could I work with Malfoy? I knew I could trust Dumbledore but could Draco really become an ally? Could I handle taking on another responsibility? I didn't have the answers to any of the questions, but I knew that this was my own way to help with the war. It was my chance to truly have an impact, and to maybe a path to getting that missing piece of my soul back. "I'll do it."

The twinkling in the familiar blue eyes came back full force. "Are you sure Miss Granger?"

I nodded. "I'm sure."

"Well good then," He stood abruptly. "Then I'll leave the two of you to work something out."

A second after he had risen he was gone and Malfoy and I were left alone in and incredibly tense silence. I stared down at the table for minutes on end until the weight of his gaze on me forced me to look up. When I raised my head I met impossible icy blue eyes straight on.

"Are we going to stare at each other all night or are we going to get things over with?" he asked.

I turned my head slightly as I regarded him. There had been no malice in his voice, no anger, only polite disinterest. Virtually every emotion I had been on the receiving end of from Draco Malfoy was conspicuously absent and I finally worked up the courage to ask the big question. "Why are you doing all of this?"

He sighed. "How bad do you need to know?"

The tone of voice immediately put my back up. "Considering the fact that you've been nothing but horrid to me for six and a half years and up until five minutes ago I figured you be trying to kill me in a few months, I'd say pretty badly. That compounded with the fact that I could potentially be risking my life doing this makes me knowing pretty essential."

His aristocratic features set into a hard mask. "Fine." He pushed away from the table and stood up, then I fought back a sound of protest as he yanked his shirt over his head and let it drop to the table. "I woke up, and I got tired of this."

"Malfoy…" I didn't know what to say. I'd never seen him without a shirt before, and I couldn't have known about the evidence of all the pain he was hiding beneath his clothes. Even so, I felt my heart crack as he stood before me. What should have been the pale perfection of his body was marred by angry scars; virtually every inch of skin was covered in them. Some looked as if they'd been made by whips, others I could identify as burns, and one actually looked like claws had raked all the way down his chest. One that appeared to wrap around from his back angled across his chest and disappeared into the waistband of the jeans slung low on his hips. I pressed a shaky hand to my stomach as I walked towards him.

"How long?" I asked.

"My entire life."

I crossed behind him and my hands flew to my mouth to muffle to visceral reaction that leapt to my throat. Though I would have thought it impossible his back was even worse. I literally couldn't see any stretch of smooth skin. My hand reached out instinctively to soothe but I pulled away at the last second and moved back around to face him. I picked up his shirt and handed it to him, watched apprehensively as he slipped it back over his head to cover it all up once more.

A tear slipped down my cheek as his gaze returned to mine. "When did it stop?"

"It stopped the day I took this." He turned his left arm over to show me the Dark Mark. "It stopped the day before I started training as a spy."

This time I couldn't check the urge and I reached out to smooth my hand over the mark. One question came unbidden to my mind but I couldn't seem to bring myself to ask.

He must have seen the question in my eyes. "Go ahead and ask."

"Was it horrible, taking the mark?"

He took a shuddering breath. "Worse than you could ever possibly imagine."

"I'm so sorry, I never had any idea. All these years…" As I trailed off I looked down and realized that my hand was still moving back and forth over his arm. I pulled away quickly and hoped that I hadn't turned the color of a tomato. As we stood in silence for a moment I let my mind wander and as I thought back I was suddenly incredibly confused. "You said that the… that it stopped a year ago. You're father has been in Azkaban since the end of our fifth year, so how could it have continued?"

He flashed a haunted smile. "My father has friends in high places Granger, it's a huge mistake to underestimate what the man can have done, even from prison."

"That's… barbaric."

"Maybe it is, but it's how I lived. That's all in the past and I'm trying my best to put it all behind me and do what I have to do now."

I nodded. "I understand, as much as I can anyway."

"We should pick a time to meet each week," he said, changing the subject abruptly.

I appreciated the need to move forward. "Would Monday work?"

He nodded. "That would be fine. A lot of what I'm involved in happens over the weekend so I can let you know sooner that way."

"Okay, I guess I'll see you on Monday." He nodded once again and headed for the door. Just before he opened the door I felt another irresistible compulsion. "Malfoy?"

He turned back into the room for a moment. "Yeah?"

"I never in a million years thought I'd be saying this, but be careful."

The barest of smiles passed his lips and he nodded. "See you on Monday Granger."

That night I lay in bed awake for a long time. Every I time closed my eyes to try and get some rest I was haunted by the image of Draco Malfoy standing in front of me with years of pain reflecting in clear blue eyes. He'd stood their waiting for my rejection, for my horror at the terrible state of his body. But I hadn't felt horrified by the way he looked, I'd been horrified by the horrible things that had been done to him. In all the years I'd known him I never could have imagined what he'd been hiding. It certainly explained a lot.

I tossed and turned as the image of his scarred body flashed in my mind again, unbidden and unwanted. His body should have been perfect to match the strangely handsome aristocratic face. Instead it was a painful reminder of the seventeen some odd ordeal that had been his life.

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't chase him from my head, and the compassion I felt for the man who'd ostensibly been my enemy for nearly seven years worried more than anything ever had. I remembered my compulsion to reach out and touch him and how I'd soothed my hand over the mark on his arm and felt my chest tighten. Worst of all, when he'd stood in front of me baring the secrets he'd kept his entire life, completely exposed, all I wanted to do was kiss every last scar that covered his body until every last trace of pain fled from his eyes, and that terrified me.


	2. To See You Smile

In an instant my life had changed completely, with just a few words from Dumbledore and a visual experience that I could never force from my mind everything had been turned upside down. For a month everything went on without incident. Every Monday I snuck out of my quarters to have a secret meeting with Draco Malfoy, and every Tuesday I reported to Dumbledore what we knew. Malfoy and I didn't linger too long, but each time we began to speak a bit more beyond what was absolutely necessary. We were slowly learning more about each other than we had managed in seven years of coexistence, and I was gradually learning to trust him.

None of my friends had the faintest idea what I was doing. They were too wrapped up in the messes of their own lives to notice what was going on in my life. Though I know they didn't mean anything by it, the bitter pain came anyway. For six years I'd been a cornerstone of what I knew everyone called the Golden Trio, and now I barely spoke to Harry and Ron outside of homework. Though I tried not to let it bother me it did, more than I would have ever admitted. Between all the emotion and the late night meetings I was completely exhausted.

One Monday night I went to the Room of Requirement as always and was surprised to find a couch waiting for me along with the customary table and chairs. I guess I'd projected my fatigue when I'd sought admittance into the room. Eternally grateful I sank down into the couch to wait. Within seconds I had fallen asleep. The next memory I have is waking up to a huge crash. I sprang up from the couch and moments later Draco quite literally fell through the door. I hurried across the room to his side as he slumped to the floor, clutching his side.

I fell to my knees next to him. "What happened?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I ran into something?"

I frowned. "No."

"It's really safer if you just don't know what happened," he told me.

"Whether you like it or not we're in this together, and I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on."

He sighed and winced as he slid a bit down the wall. "Okay, I'll tell you, just help me to the couch first, okay?"

She nodded and slid herself under his arm to help him up. It took them a minute but they made it across the room and when he was settled he finally told her. "There was a meeting tonight. One of the others accused me of being a turncoat. I pretended to be outraged, I even punched the guy. Then he pulled a knife on me."

"Oh my God!"

"I know, I can't believe the dumb ass had a wand and he chose to pull a knife," he said derisively.

"I was thinking more of the fact that you got stabbed," I cried, shaking my head.

"Well there is that. Anyway, Voldemort had the other guy taken away for punishment after he dared to question one of his most loyal followers," he snorted. "Ironic isn't it?"

"I suppose," I told him, though not without a hint of sarcasm. "How bad is it?"

He shrugged then winced again. "I don't know I didn't look."

"You didn't look?" I yelled.

"I was a bit focused on getting back here in one piece," he said with a frown.

"Well at least let me see it then." He nodded and closed his eyes. I pulled his cloak aside and before I had gotten it fully open my hands were already coated in blood. I tamped down the panic that immediately rose and pushed on. His shirt was black but I could tell immediately that it was worse than the cloak. With a steadying breath I ripped his shirt to about half way up his chest, splattering myself with his blood in the process. The wound was at least four inches long, and judging by the amount of blood it was deep, too deep. I couldn't hold back the horrified gasp.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"Open your eyes and look at this. You mean to tell me you can't feel that?" I asked incredulously.

He opened his eyes and looked down. "Yeah I can feel it, it hurts like a bitch. But I've felt worse." His voice was beginning to slur and his eyes were getting cloudy. I didn't know a lot about medicine but I knew enough to know that wasn't a good sign, and I couldn't stop the bleeding.

"Malfoy." He seemed to have nodded off and I yelled the next time. "Draco!" He focused on my face and I breathed a little sigh of relief. "Okay, focus is good. I need to go get Madame Pomfrey so she can help me get you to the hospital wing. Try and stay awake and I'll be back as soon as I can."

I practically flew through the halls to the Hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey wasn't thrilled when I woke her up at one in the morning but when I explained what had happened she threw on a dressing gown and we got back to Draco as soon as we could. By the time we managed to get back to him he had passed out. Madame Pomfrey checked the wound and with a cry she instructed me to levitate him and rushed out with me behind her coming as fast as I could while still managing the spell. When we got him to the hospital wing I lowered him to the bed as gently as I could and waited for Madame Pomfrey told me what to do. I didn't have long to wait.

"Take these shears Dear and get that shirt off of him, I'll need it out of the way to work on him."

I took them and carefully continued cutting the shirt along the line I'd ripped earlier. I raised him up off of the bed as gently as possible and pulled the shirt off of him. After I settled him back on the bed Madame Pomfrey took over.

"My goodness, all those old scars, poor boy," she said briskly.

I nodded and looked down at him as she siphoned off the blood so she could see his wound more clearly. It was an angry mark against his pale skin and I was suddenly overcome with an immense sadness at the thought that he could have another scar. "Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yes Dear?"

"I know it's not the most important thing, but could you try and make sure he doesn't get another scar? I know it seems so small, but…"

"I understand Miss Granger. The injury is deep but I'll do my best to make sure we don't add to this. Now if you don't mind, I need you to sit here next to the bed and hand me the things I need."

I settled myself on the stool next to the bed and absently handed Madame Pomfrey something when she asked for it. Suddenly I was all too aware of how close my seat brought me to Malfoy. I had realized by then that he was attractive but the full impact only really hit me then. When he was relaxed, with all of that impossibly light hair falling over his unguarded face he looked almost angelic. I took advantage of the rare moment and studied his face thoroughly, barely even noticing when Madame Pomfrey walked away. As I continued my intent scan of his face I came across the slightest of imperfections. Under his right eye there was a small scar shaped like a tear. I'm still not sure why, but something about that single scar made my breath catch in my throat. I was struggling to breathe again when his eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times and then turned his head to focus the full intensity of those incredibly blue eyes on my face.

"What happened?"

"You passed out. Madame Pomfrey's doing her best not to leave you with another scar but the wound went pretty deep."

"Thank you. You look like hell, you should go and get some sleep," he told me. I began to protest but he held a hand up wearily. "I'm a big boy Hermione, I'll be fine and we can meet tomorrow. Get some rest."

I set Madame Pomfrey's supplies down and walked out. When I got back to my quarters I immediately headed for the bathroom and suddenly I was ecstatic that I hadn't run into anyone in the halls. I was covered with Draco's blood; it was all over my hands and splattered on my face from when I had torn his shirt. My clothes were ruined and the parts of my face that weren't red with blood were red from tears I hadn't even realized I'd been crying. I was scrubbing myself off when it finally hit me. He'd called me Hermione.

We met the next day as if nothing had happened. Neither of us talked about the previous night and though I was burning to, I managed to hold back the desire to ask about the tear. I also tried to forget his use of my first name, though it was constantly on my mind. Ever since that day our discussion had remained fairly formal, and I had remained Granger. We kept up the same routine for weeks; meeting, discussion, report to Dumbledore. It was all impossibly tedious and I began to retreat even farther into myself. It got bad enough that people I had been convinced no longer knew I existed had begun to take notice. One day I caught Harry staring at me looking rather worried.

"What? I asked irritably.

"You've been staring off into space for going on fifteen minutes, without blinking."

I shook my head. "I didn't realize."

He scooted closer. "Are you okay Hermione? You seem so distant lately. You never talk anymore; we've all been worried."

The laugh I let out was harsh. "I'm surprised you even remembered I'm still here." Pain lanced through his bright green eyes and I immediately regretted saying it. I sighed and patted his hand. "I'm sorry Harry. I understand that everyone wants to take the time they have in case…" I didn't need to finish the sentence, these days it was implied. 'In case we all die.'

"It's true, I love Ginny and I want all the time I can have with her. But that's no excuse for how we've been treating you. You deserve so much better."

I shook my head. "It's okay Harry, really. I've got a project I'm working on so I'm not lonely. I wouldn't mind seeing you and Ron more though, I won't lie."

"We can do that."

"Go find Ginny," I told him with a smile. "Take the time you can get."

He dropped a kiss on my forehead as he rose. "Thank you Hermione." He stared to leave then turned back. "I love you, Hermione. You know that right?"

"I know. I love you too Harry."

That night I went to my meeting with Malfoy feeling better than I had in months. It was wonderful to know that someone really cared about me. Evidently my happiness was obvious. When he finished telling me all he could Draco regarded me with interest.

"What happened today?" He asked me.

I stared for a moment before I could find an answer. "What do you mean?"

"I mean this is the happiest I've seen you since we started this whole intricate partnership."

Though I wasn't sure why, I told him the truth. "I talked to Harry today," I said with a smile. "It's nice to know that someone still loves me."

He nodded. "I get it. Glad to know Potter's not a complete idiot."

I rolled my eyes at the little jab at Harry but it didn't wipe the smile from my face. "I'll see you next week."

He nodded and I started off. "Hermione," he called after me. I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine when he said my name. But by the time I turned my head to look at him I had erased all the traces of pleasure from my face.

"Yeah."

He smiled a bit bemusedly. "I'm not sure why, but it's good to see you smile."

I couldn't seem to form any kind of actual sentence so I just nodded and left, but the little tingle of joy stayed with me for a long while.


	3. Somebody Save Me

All throughout the next week my mind kept straying back to that simple statement. _It's good to see you smile_. Only six little words, but my mind kept running over and over them. No matter how I tried to distract myself I kept circling back to those six words. I've always had an inquiring mind, but I'd never wanted to know the answer to a question more than I did then. Why was he so happy to see me smile? I had no idea but I headed off for our next meeting bound and determined to weasel it out of him.

As I crept through the halls I couldn't seem to shake the feeling that someone was following me. I felt the weight of someone's gaze on my back and came to a stop. Turning slowly to look in every direction I found myself completely alone. I told myself that I was being ridiculous. It was probably just Peeves trying to get me caught out of bed. With a determined shake of the head I kept walking, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

When I shut the door to the Room of Requirement behind me I let out a relieved breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. Taking a seat, I settled in to wait for Draco. I was there twenty minutes before it occurred to me that he was rather late. Of course, he'd been late before. This whole thing wasn't a completely exact science after all. Still, I was pretty sure that he'd never been this late before. I stood up and was headed to check out in the hall when it started.

An icy cold breeze ruffled over my skin and I hugged my arms tight against my body, shivering. Every instinct I had told me to run but it was as if my feet were rooted to the floor; I couldn't move. Then the voice came, speaking what I knew had to be Parseltongue. I shook my head and tried desperately to block out the voice. Terrified, I told myself it was nothing more than a scare tactic, but I knew better. In an instant everything got about ten times worse. The breeze turned to a violent wind, whipping my hair so hard around my face that it hurt and forcing me to my knees. Then the voice roaring in my ears raised to a fever pitch, screaming in my head so I could understand it now.

"Filthy! Dirty! Mudblood! Worthless! Slime! Filth! Dirt!"

"No!" I screamed. Then as suddenly as it had all began, the voice stopped, the wind ceased, and the room gradually filled with warmth again. I fell limply to the floor, wrapping my arms tight around my legs, rocking back and forth. Tears were streaming down my face when I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head and everything went dark.

I woke up to a pounding head and an aching body. With no idea how long I'd been wherever I was the only thing I could figure out was that judging by the light filtering in from the miniscule window it was sometime around mid-day. What day I had no clue. Though I already suspected it was futile I checked the door and the window, both were locked and charmed. My wand was missing, and without it I had absolutely no chance of escaping on my own. For what could have been hours I paced the length of the small cell, growing more and more agitated. I wanted answers. Then the door opened and I realized I was about to get them, and maybe I didn't really want them as much as I thought.

Two wizards I had never seen before entered, black robes swirling around their ankles. My instincts were firing at full force again and I backed up until I hit the wall.

The first man was tall and lanky, with a greasy look that reminded me uncomfortably of Professor Snape, only this man was a blonde. "Hello mudblood," he snarled.

The childish name calling put my back up and made me feel dangerously bold. "What do you want with me?" I demanded.

The second man was short and fat and regarded me cruelly before he backhanded me hard and sent me sprawling to the dirt floor. I cried out and he laughed loudly. "We ask the questions here.

It was absolutely absurd but the only thought that came to my mind was 'God get a better line.' Thankfully I had enough good sense not to say it. Instead I pulled myself with some difficulty onto my knees. "Fine," I spit out through gritted teeth.

"What are you doing snooping around Draco Malfoy?" the tall one asked me.

My mind started reeling. They knew that we had been meeting, but the way he phrased the question it seemed like they didn't suspect Draco of a thing. But what could I possibly tell them that would keep both me and Draco alive? Then it hit me. "Well we've sort of got a thing going on." The only response I got was another hard hit to the face. This time I was prepared and managed to keep myself upright. Now I was pissed. "Look it's not my fault if you don't believe me…"

"Lies!" the fat one yelled. "Draco Malfoy would never touch a dirty filthy blooded whore like you."

I took exception to the whore comment but I let it pass. "Okay so maybe it's one-sided. I'm obsessed, I can't help it." I did my best to look pathetic and cowered in the corner.

"No best friend of that brat Harry Potter would truly wish to be close to a Malfoy! You have been trying to learn the Dark Lord's secrets!" The Snape look alike was practically foaming at the mouth he was so enraged. I resisted the urge to smile; they had no idea just how close to the truth they were.

I shook my head. "No, I don't even talk to Harry anymore." The short one hit me again and this time I wasn't ready. I fell back hard, cracking my head against the stone wall. This was getting really old, really fast.

The tall guy bent down to my level and I pulled away, repulsed when he grabbed my face hard in his hand. "You are a liar, but we will get the truth out of you soon enough." His buddy hit me hard once more for good measure and then they left and locked and charmed the door.

I lay on the floor wrapped in a ball for a long while after that. The tears that poured from my eyes turned the dirt beneath me to mud and I was consumed by the throbbing pain in my face and body. After a while the world closed in black around me and I passed out.

The next few days of my life are something I never wish to speak of again. I have recounted the events of those days to one person only, and he is the only person besides me who will ever know the full details. Suffice it to say I learned to take a beating, and I never once revealed anything.

On what I estimated to be the fourth day of my captivity I was sleeping fitfully when a familiar voice intruded upon my dreams.

"Granger…"

I knew I'd heard the voice before, but half sleeping, half waking I couldn't put my finger on who it was.

"Granger…"

I was slowly struggling towards wakefulness when the voice became urgent and I didn't have a choice but to come fully awake.

"Hermione!"

I sat bolt up, eyes wide and looked around. I couldn't possibly be rescued, could I?

"Hermione I'm not any good to you with my ass in the air out here!"

"Draco?" I scrambled across the cell to a spot under the window where his voice seemed to be filtering in.

"Christ, you are alive." He sounded infinitely relieved. "Good, I need you to help me. I'm going to push on this stone. When you see it come loose from the wall I need you to pull."

I nodded. "Okay." I heard his breath laboring as he started to push the large stone at the bottom of the wall. Before long I saw if move away from the wall and grabbed ahold, pulling with all my might. Within moments we had it clear of the wall and Malfoy's hooded figure crawled through the hole. "What happens if you're recognized?" He shook his hood away from his head and my mouth fell open. "Well I guess you won't be will you?"

A spell had turned his trademark hair jet black and he gazed at me out of startlingly violet eyes. "If anyone caught a glimpse of what are usually my most distinguishing features they probably wouldn't have a clue."

We both stood and he ran his hands briskly over my body and face, cataloging my injuries. I winced as he came in contact with a particularly nasty bruise. "How did you get here?"

"A broom. I hate to ask but can you crawl out of here?"

I nodded. "It will hurt, but I can do it."

"Okay. We need to go now, or else they may come back and find us both here."

He helped me to kneel and I crawled out in front of him. Draco came behind me, moving backwards so that he could move the stone back, leaving no trace of our escape route. I crawled the short distance into the night and managed only to raise onto my knees. Breathing hard from the small amount of exertion I turned to see Draco back out of the building and breathe a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?"

"Claustrophobic," he said. "Out here is definitely better."

I watched as he slid another stone back into place and knew I was going to owe him a lot when all of this was over. He stood quickly and held out a hand. I accepted it gratefully, but when I tried to stand on my own I let out a little gasp as my legs came out from under me. He caught me easily before I hit the ground. With little other choice he picked me up and carried me to a broom he had waiting nearby. I wrapped my hands tight around the handle to steady myself while he got on in front of me.

"Wrap your arms around my waist, I don't want you falling off."

I felt all the blood drain from my face at the suggestion of falling from a moving broom but I did as he asked. When I had a firm hold he kicked off hard and we flew off. I felt my stomach drop as we gained altitude and speed and pressed my cheek against his back, my eyes squeezed shut. For a moment there I had forgotten how much I hated to fly.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Not really, no."

"I'd forgotten you don't like flying," he told me apologetically.

I nodded against his back. "Maybe if we keep talking it'll keep my mind off of it." Well that and never opening my eyes the entire trip.

"Okay."

"How did you find me?" I asked.

I felt him shrug. "I came for the meeting and you were gone. I went to Dumbledore seeing as you never shirk any kind of responsibility and we both suspected foul play. I managed to get it out of one of the Death Eaters eventually. We were lucky that I know my way around the building they were keeping you in."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We spent the rest of the ride back to Hogwarts in companionable conversation. All I really wanted to do was rest but sleep would have meant falling from the broom, so I talked. In the hour it took to get back we talked about everything and nothing, whatever popped into our heads. We learned a lot about each others childhoods and ambitions, but I think we both breathed a sigh of relief when we finally touched down in the Forbidden Forest.

Draco hopped off easily but I was embarrassed to find that my legs wouldn't seem to work. He turned back to help me from the broom and I flushed. "I can't seem to make my body do what it needs to."

He nodded. It's understandable with everything you've been through. Here." Without a second thought he reached out and swung me into his arms. With one hand he reached into his cloak and pulled out a wrapped parcel. He fumbled one-handed with the string for a moment before I removed one of my arms from around his neck long enough to help him with it. What he unfurled from the paper was an invisibility cloak.

"My aren't we resourceful."

The smirk I'd grown so accustomed to over the years played at his mouth as he flung it over both of us. Even though it well past the time everyone should have been in bed we kept the cloak on through the halls in case we should run into anyone. Madame Pomfrey had been apprised of the situation but we had to wait until she was done with a tiny first year with a stomach ache before we could reveal ourselves. Finally Draco pulled the cloak off and set me down on a bed. The look on Madame Pomfrey's face was a little too surprised and I realized I must have been even worse than I thought.

Draco backed off as she went to work on me but as soon as she finished he stepped back up to the side of the bed. "I'm really sorry about all of this."

I shook my head. "I knew this was going to be dangerous when I took it on. It's not for you to feel sorry."

He shrugged. "Just the same. Get some rest."

He turned to leave but I caught his arm. "Do me a favor before you go?"

What he said then thrilled me down to my toes. "Anything."

"Change your hair and your eyes back? It's creepy, like you're you but not you."

He let out a rare and enchanting laugh then pointed his wand and a second later I was looking at striking blue eyes and white blonde hair. As if on a whim he bent and brushed a kiss against my hair. "Good night Hermione."

He walked out but I couldn't seem to find my voice for some time after. There was just something about him that consistently left me speechless.


	4. No More Memories, No More Silent Tears

Whatever I had been expecting when I was released from hospital, the reality was much more disappointing. I got out on a Wednesday, over a week after I had disappeared. Nobody had even noticed my absence. It was as if I'd never left at all. I didn't even hear a word out of Harry, usually the most perceptive of my friends.

I wanted to cry and scream at the top of my lungs, wanted the bruises Madame Promfrey had healed to come back so that someone would see that something had been wrong. It didn't happen. By the time dinner rolled around on my first day back to classes I was too distraught to eat or drink anything, yet another even that went completely unnoticed. I skipped out early without anyone noticing my absence, but I couldn't go to my quarters or to the Gryffindor common room. I needed to be somewhere alone where I could rage and cry and let it all out. So I went to the Room of Requirement.

When I got there I found the room blissfully empty. The same squashy couch from before had appeared and I sank into it gratefully. Then I screamed, as loud as I could until my throat went raw, and even then I continued. Tears poured down my face and my breath hitched. Soon I was too exhausted to do anything and I collapsed on the couch, my face pressed against the arm. My body was wracked with heaving sobs as I wept out my soul.

I heard the door open and I knew who it must be, but I didn't turn to look, I couldn't. There was no stopping the flood now the gates were open.

"Granger?" The impersonal use of my last name tore another ragged sob from my throat and I felt more than heard him come to my side. He dropped to his knees next to the couch. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

He pushed my hair back and I forced myself to meet his eyes. The concern I saw there only made the tears fall faster. "It's nothing."

He shook his head. "This isn't nothing. Nobody is this shattered by nothing."

"They… they didn't even know I was gone."

"Shit."

"I was gone for over a week, and they didn't even notice. They didn't care or…" I trailed off on a sob.

"I'm so sorry Hermione."

I shook my head and struggled to speak through the tears. "I'm being stupid, just… I can't stop."

With a furious shake of his head he moved and gathered me in his arms. When we were settled back on the couch he began to rock back and forth. I knew it was a bad idea, but he was offering comfort, and I took it. Pressing my face against the strength of his chest and holding tight to him I wept until I was empty. I've never been sure how long we stayed like that, but he held me and rocked me until I couldn't find anything else within myself.

His hand rubbed soothing circles against my back until my breathing evened. "You're all wet," I said quietly, my voice muffled against the soaked fabric of his shirt.

"That's okay. Did it help?"

I nodded. "It did, only now I feel like a complete twit."

"Why?"

"I don't usually do this kind of thing," I sighed.

I could almost see the question in his eyes. "What kind of thing?"

"I don't usually crawl up into people's laps and sob all over them."

"Technically you didn't crawl, I picked you up and put you here," he told me. The humor lacing through the words made me laugh.

"Why are you here Draco?"

He shrugged. "I come here sometimes to think, it's quieter than the common room."

"I understand that, but I mean what are you doing here with me in your lap and covered in the evidence of my little breakdown?" I questioned.

"If you can believe it, even before when I was a complete ass I could never stand to see a woman cry."

I couldn't quite suppress the smile. "My how gallant."

"Not really, more cowardly than anything."

I shook my head. "Do you have any idea how much you've changed?"

"I do. I realized how ridiculously gullible I'd been. I believed every word my father had ever spoon fed me and it was frankly scary. I woke up, and I realized I'd been fighting fort the wrong side. I was sick of everything that Voldemort stands for and I decided I wanted to help make sure he couldn't poison the rest of the wizarding world like my father poisoned me. I became one of the good guys. I haven't doubted my decision for a moment since." We both remained quiet for a long moment until Draco finally spoke again. "Why did you sign on for this?"

"Honestly? I had nothing better to do. I'm the only one of my friends who hasn't got a significant other to take up all my time. This takes up otherwise wasted time and it's my significant way of contributing to the war."

His breath tickled the top of my head when he spoke again. "Seems as good a reason as any, maybe even better than most."

I nodded then closed my eyes to revel in the feeling of warm strong arms wrapped around me, anchoring me and soothing. A question I'd forgotten amongst the previous week or so popped back into my head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"That night I took you to the hospital wing I noticed a scar on your face. The one just under your eye shaped like a tear. I was wondering where it came from."

He sighed. "Truth? I did it. One day I just got fed up with the beatings. I wanted to do something that would be a type of quiet defiance against my father, so I found a knife."

"Oh God."

He nodded. "I was self-destructive. I wanted to defy my father, but more than anything I wanted someone to take notice of what was happening to me. I knew I couldn't ever tell anyone I knew so I chose the tear. I bled like mad. When my father saw it he gave me another beating, ironically. The thing that still bothers me to this day is that he let me keep the scar. He could have gotten rid of it easily with a spell; after all he made the others permanent why couldn't he get rid of one? But as angry as he was he left it, I think it amused him somehow."

I had pulled away to look at his face while he spoke and now I was crying again, this time for him. "I can't even imagine feeling that way."

He looked down at me and frowned a bit. "Hey now, didn't I tell you I can't stand to see a woman cry?"

I nodded and wiped the tears away. "I think you're one of the bravest people I know," I told him. My sadness for him lingered and on an impulse I did what I'd wanted to do since the first day of our absurd partnership. I leaned up and kissed the tear drop under his eye.

When I pulled away I saw emotion surge through his eyes. Judging by the look, I was the first one who had even truly and completely embraced him as he was, scars and all. Something potent and unknown coursed through me and I leaned up again to brush my lips hesitantly against his.

Hesitancy ignited to fire as he fisted his hand in my shirt at my back and I held fast to his shoulders. He took us both deeper and I opened my mouth in acquiescence. His hands moved from my back to tangle in my hair and I heard someone moan. I didn't realize until later that I had been the one moaning. Then, somewhere in that deep place inside of me, I felt a light begin to shine from a part of myself that I had thought was dead. With a little cry of joy I gave myself over to sensation, and for a moment that was all that mattered.

Then we pulled apart and I looked at Draco, realized I was still sitting in his lap and that we were both looking thoroughly used, remembered who I was with; and I panicked. I surged to my feet and without a word I fled. I kept running until I was safe within my quarters.

Once again I found myself gazing at my reflection in the mirror. This time the girl staring back at me alternately thrilled me and terrified me. My hair was tangled wildly around my face and my lips were swollen. My face was flushed and my eyes were wide and startled. Looking at myself then I felt like a complete idiot. What on earth had made me think that Draco Malfoy would want me? I'd practically thrown myself at him. In that moment I resolved to try and forget that night had ever happened. In some ways I felt the best I had in a long time, but I was embarrassed.

Though I tried to forget the feel of his hands on my back and the spark I'd felt for a few brief but wonderful moments, the taste of him lingered on my lips for hours on end.


	5. Give Me The Wings to Fly

By the next morning I was kicking myself for running. I knew it hadn't been fair to either of us but I couldn't help it. I'd never done anything like that before and I couldn't take the thought that I could have been rejected after a kiss that earth shattering. Running away was all that I could do. What terrified me the most was the intense need that I felt to repeat that kiss. Nobody had ever made me feel that way before, and the fact that it was Draco Malfoy who had evoked such emotion made me wonder if I had wandered off the deep end. So I tried to forget, and Draco and I both pretended that nothing had happened.

The first meeting after that night we managed to be perfectly civil. Then Dumbledore requested that we meet more frequently and everything went down hill. We were meeting three times a week and the more we saw each other the more we started to snap at each other. For some reason neither of us could move forward. We started picking petty fights about the smallest possible things. The littlest things would set me off and I found my moods carrying over into my everyday life.

One particular incident convinced me that it was time to have a talk with Mr. Malfoy to see if we could work things out. I was sitting at breakfast one morning when Ron spoke to me for the first time in weeks. He asked me to pass the marmalade and I took his head off. I'll never forget the look of wide eyed surprise on his face. It was that morning that made me take a step back and realize that whatever had happened between Draco and I, however stupid I felt we had to figure out some way to work together in relative harmony. After I apologized profusely to Ron I decided that when we met that night Draco and I had to clear the air.

That night I went to the Room of Requirement geared up for confrontation. I paced the length of the room like a caged animal waiting for Draco to arrive. Imagine my surprise when he barreled into the room at full speed. He skidded to a stop in front of me and doubled over, his hands on his knees, his breathing labored.

"We have a problem."

I stared at him as my heart pounded from the surprise of his appearance. "What's wrong?"

He started to pace much as I had been only moments before. "Voldemort's decided when to attack."

Fear clutched at my heart. "When?" I whispered.

"Two weeks from Thursday."

Two weeks was too soon. I felt panic wash over me, had to swallow the bile that rose in my throat. And then I panicked. "We'll never have time to get everybody ready, it's too soon. There's too much to do. We have to go to Dumbledore so he can tell everyone."

My ramblings were cut off by his harsh voice. "What do you expect him to do, make an announcement at breakfast?"

"He has to do something!" I replied indignantly.

He shot me an exasperated look. "Get a grip! He can't just tell everyone publicly. There are people at this school who are loyal to Voldemort. If they were to figure out that we know what we know we'd be in more trouble than you could ever imagine."

I sighed. He had deflated me slightly, but not quite enough. "Well we have to do something," I snapped.

"Obviously," he snapped back. Then he turned and strode determinedly from the room and headed towards Dumbledore's office.

The walk to the Headmaster's office seemed much longer than I remembered. Around halfway there it occurred to me that I hadn't gotten my chance to have the talk I was prepared for. I made a mental note to try and work it in before the night was over. When we got to Dumbledore's office we gave the password and waited. When Draco knocked the Headmaster's voice immediately told us to enter.

"Well, what a lovely surprise. It's so very rare that I get to speak to both of you at the same time," he said with a smile.

Draco didn't mince words or waste any time. "The date of the attack has been set. We have two weeks."

Dumbeldore's smile flickered before he spoke again. "Well then we'll have to begin out preparations. I'll make sure that the students who need to know are notified. We will assure that none who are loyal to Voldemort are aware of what is going on."

"Is there anything we can do Professor?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not Hermione. All that you and Mr. Malfoy can do now is prepare for the fight like the others and let me know if anything else comes up."

"Thank you professor," Draco said. "Come on." He nudged me with his shoulder and we both stood to leave.

I waited until we were out in the hall to launch into my discussion. "We need to talk."

He kept walking, fast enough that I had to sprint to keep up. "Really?"

"Yes really. I'm sure you're repulsed by the memory of me kissing you but whatever happened and whatever we feel, we need to work it out. I can't stand and the snapping and the backbiting. It's driving me insane." I said.

He came to an abrupt stop and turned to look at me with wide eyes. "What the hell? You are without a doubt the most aggravating woman I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with!" he cried. He turned and strode away.

I ran after him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. "What do you mean?" I asked, feeling my own anger rising.

"I mean that I'm going insane, and you're driving me there. You make a move like that and leave me sitting there burning and then just pretend nothing happened? That kiss wasn't repulsive, it was God damn earth moving, and you just try to forget about it!"

"I left and tried to forget because I didn't want the rejection. I threw myself at you and I figured you would have preferred me trying to forget about it."

He grabbed hold of both of my arms and held me firmly in place. "In case you didn't notice I was a more than willing participant. Wake up!" He let go of me and walked away.

"Maybe I could wake up if you would just come out and bloody well tell me how you feel!"

"Fine." He wheeled around and before I had time to blink I was up against the wall, caged in by his arms on either side of my body. "I want you so bad I can taste it, and it kills me to know that I may never get the chance to have you. I've watched you these past months and wondered what it is that draws you to me, but I can't figure it out. What I'd really like to do is find a dark corner and do things that even hearing about would make my mother blush, but I can't. Happy now?" He moved away, pushing a hand roughly through his hair. I could see him battling to reign in his emotions.

"No," I whispered. "I'm not happy. I'm terrified because nobody has ever made me feel the way you do. Something inside of me died a long time ago and I need to figure out why it is that you seem to make that part of me come back to life. I want that dark corner too because I'm afraid to let myself die again. I can't let myself die again."

He turned to me, his gorgeous blue eyes full of emotion, emotions too dark and deep to be easily deciphered. "Tell me exactly what you want," he whispered, his voice raw.

I looked up into his emotion riddled eyes and with a deep breath I took the plunge. "Teach me to live."

He stared back down at me. "Tell me again."

"Teach me to live. Give me the wings to fly."

I gasped as Draco pulled me hard against him and his lips came crashing down on mine. Suddenly I was drowning, lost in a sea of emotion that kept crashing over me and forcing me farther under. All that seemed to matter was the feel of his lips on mine, his hands cruising greedily over my body, and his silky hair fisted in my hands. I heard the moan again, but this time I knew it was me.

He pulled away and I whimpered. We barely had a moment to breathe before I pulled him back down and molded his mouth to mine. He moaned into my mouth and sent shivers running down my spine.

"Need to breathe," he gasped, pressing me against the wall and turning his attention to my neck.

"Overrated," I replied.

I pulled him back to my mouth and we shifted again. He pulled me off my feet to gain better access to my mouth and I dimly realized that I was just dangling there. For both our benefit I wrapped my legs around his waist. My back was pressed hard against the stone wall and through the haze of pleasure I dimly felt the stone scrape against my back where my shirt had ridden up slightly. I managed a small sound of discomfort and Draco pushed back from the wall, letting me slide to the ground.

Our contact broke when I hit the floor but I immediately pulled him back to me. I didn't care how he got there, I needed to be consumed. Finally, what seemed like hours later but was really only minutes, we pulled apart.

Draco pulled in a hard breath and dropped his forehead to mine. "You drive me insane," he whispered, kissing my hair.

I drew in a shaky breath and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my hands against his back and my cheek against his chest. "Good insane or bad insane?"

He bent to capture my lips in another searing kiss. "Definitely good insane."

I lifted my head to gaze into his eyes. "Thank you." I said, fighting back tears.

"For teaching me to live," I whispered.

Rather than say anything, he merely wrapped me up tightly in his arms and dropped a sweet kiss on my forehead. I've never felt more wanted in my life than I did in that moment, and I felt a crack in my heart slowly knit together again.


	6. And the Battle's Just Begun

The next two weeks went by too quickly for all of us. It was like hell on earth pretending that nothing was going on all throughout the day while staying up almost all the night to prepare. Of course it came time to tell Harry and the others that Draco had been working for our side for over a year. Initial reactions were about what I had expected, anger, denial and the like. Everyone was more than a little surprise and incredibly suspicious. However, with Dumbledore backing Draco there wasn't much that anyone could say. They accepted that he was there to help us, albeit warily. Unfortunately both of us were all too aware that everyone would make sure that Draco wasn't at their backs, just in case.

Ron and Harry realized almost immediately that something was going on between Draco and I. Well, mostly it was Harry, who then proceeded to tell Ron. Neither was very pleased, but thankfully we were so busy that they didn't have time to sit down and have the talk with me. I was more grateful that they didn't have the time to beat Draco's head in. I knew we would have to go their eventually, but as long as things didn't get bloody between the three of them I was fine with everything.

I hadn't done enough combat training so I wasn't going to be fighting the day of the battle. I would be assisting Madame Pomfrey in the makeshift hospital we'd be setting up in the Great Hall. Since Draco would be fighting we hadn't gotten as much time as we would have liked to explore whatever it was we had.

The night before the battle you could have cut the tension with a knife. Draco and I had a meeting to go over final details and Harry came along; it was mostly him running the show anyway. Draco and Harry talked mostly and I interjected when necessary. I was a pensive mood so I didn't have much to say. I didn't even notice when Harry left leaving Draco and I alone.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice broke into my thoughts.

I started. "Yeah?"

He looked at me curiously. "Potter's left. You should probably get to bed, get some rest before tomorrow."

I nodded. "You too."

"I've got a lot more to do tonight before I can get to bed."

Suddenly I was filled with an intense feeling of dread. I stepped up to Draco and took his hand. "Be careful tomorrow. All of Voldemort's people will be out for blood when they realize you're fighting with us. I just have this horrible feeling." I trailed off as he pulled me into his arms and stroked my hair soothingly.

"I'll be careful. We've barely had a chance to explore what we have, or what we could have. I'm not going to get myself killed now, I promise." He kissed me, told me it was for good luck, and then ushered me off to my quarters.

Needless to say I didn't sleep well that night; the worst of what could potentially happen kept floating through my dreams and I couldn't shake the dread that kept creeping into my subconscious. I didn't see Draco, Harry or Ron the morning of the battle so I found myself sending up a little prayer for each of them. I threw on my clothes and tugged my hair into a ponytail and went down to face the music.

We knew immediately when the fighting began; shouts rang out, then screams and soon it sounded as if we were being bombed. The walls shook and we heard the line of students and professors specifically placed to keep anyone from getting in the castle begin to shout spells almost nonstop. The first injuries came in within minutes and after that they came pouring in, staying long enough to let us fix them before they hurried back out. Then it happened.

The first casualty came in, and I wept as I stared into Seamus' lifeless face. The only thing I could do was close his eyes, cover him with a blanket and keep working. More gradually came in and in the blink of an eye Cho, Justin and Colin were all gone. Then someone brought Padma in and my heart broke for Ron. All I could do was work through the pain and promise myself that we would make sure that they were given the entire honor they deserved. I was surviving. Hours into the battle my heart leapt into my throat when Ron stumbled in carrying his little sister.

"What happened?" I asked frantically as I cleared a bed.

Ron shook his head as he wrapped a Slytherin cloak tighter around Ginny's shoulders and laid her down. "A Deatheater, he… he tried…" He swallowed hard and looked up at me before he continued. I've never seen that kind of horror in anyone's eyes. "He tried to rape her. He had her up against a wall and she kept screaming for Harry and me but we just couldn't get to her."

"Did it actually happen," I asked, trying to keep calm even as tears welled and my heart pounded.

"No, but I don't know what happened to her pants and…" He trailed off and gazed down at her, wiping a tear from his face.

"I'll get her something to wear," I said soothingly. "How did she get away?"

"Malfoy saw what was going on. He went after the guy but Ginny got slammed against the wall. He took care of the bastard and then wrapped Ginny up in his cloak and passed her to me."

In that moment I knew that no matter what came of us, I would be eternally grateful to Draco Malfoy. "Thank God."

"I'm glad he was there Hermione. When I saw him he asked me to tell you that he's okay."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

Ron stayed for as long as he could before he went back to the battle, trusting Ginny to my care. I slipped a pair of pajama pants on the younger girl and waited for her to wake. When she came to she told me the story, but she wasn't all that open to talking. When she asked me if she could be alone I obliged. I certainly had plenty to do and I sadly watched as the bodies of Professors Trelawney and Flitwick, Angelina, Ernie and Blaise were brought into the hall. From where I stood it didn't seem like we were winning. I was checking on Ginny when I heard Dean call my name. I turned to respond and the world came crashing down around me. The figure on the stretcher between him and Neville had white blonde hair, and though they were closed I knew that the eyes were bright blue.

"Oh God, oh God," I gasped, feeling the world close in around me.

"Its okay Hermione, he's not dead, just unconscious," Neville told me as they put him on one of the nearest beds."

"Yeah," Dean chimed in. "He's been fighting like mad all day. Tons of Deatheaters have been coming after him. They got them out of Azkaban Hermione."

I was immediately fully alert. "His father?"

"He did this. He was so angry when he saw Malfoy that he completely forgot about his wand, he just went after him. Beat the hell out of him before he lost consciousness," Dean said.

"Lucius was about to perform the killing curse when Harry got to them. Lucius is dead."

"Good," I spat. "He deserves worse than a quick death but I'm glad the bastard is gone."

A huge sound like thunder filled the room and Dean and Neville ran off. I gazed down at Draco, torn between duty and desire. I had promised to help Madame Pomfrey but I truly needed to help Draco.

"Stay with him, I'll take over for you," Ginny said.

I turned around to see her standing behind me. "Gin I can't."

"Please Hermione. I'm okay, nothing happened, but I can't just sit here and think about what could have happened. Draco saved me and he deserves someone with him when he wakes up. Plus I can't stand to sit and wonder what could be happening to Harry. Please let me do this so I can think about something else."

I nodded; the desperation in her voice wouldn't let me do anything else. She hurried off to help and I stared down at Draco. He was covered in blood and so many injuries I could barely tell it was him; even his hair was ribboned with blood. I set immediately to work, checking him for internal injuries and healing the minor ones. Madame Pomfrey did the rest and I settled him in a bed in a more secluded corner of our makeshift hospital. Then I waited.

I sat there by his bedside for two hours without any sign that he was going to come back. I felt panic well up in my chest; I needed him to wake up. Grasping at straws I took his hand in mine and began to speak absentmindedly.

"Do you remember the day I hit you? Of course you must, I'll never forget the look on your face. I felt so proud of myself for standing up to you. Then there was the time at the Quidditch World Cup when you warned Harry to get me out of the way because they were looking for muggle. You were so malicious but I always wondered why you warned me instead of just letting me get caught. I have to admit that Moody turning you into the amazing bouncing ferret was on the funniest things I've ever seen, even if you could have been hurt. You should have seen it from my point of view, it was hilarious. See this is why you need to wake up. There's so much that we've never talked about, so much we need to talk about. I need to know if we could really have something, and we won't ever know if you don't wake up. You've help fix me and if you don't come back to me I'm going to break again, and I'm not sure I'll be able to pick the pieces up again. Wake up, wake up!" I dropped my head to his chest and cried.

"Hermione!"

I started as Ginny cried out. "What happened?"

Tears were streaming down her face, but she was smiling. "It's over; Ron's just told me Harry defeated Voldemort."

I let out a scream before jumping up and hugging her tight. "So it's completely over?"

"Not quite. The Deatheaters are out for blood, but it's only a matter of time before it's done."

"Thank God." I fell back into my chair next to Draco's bed as Ginny ran off to spread the news. "Did you hear that Draco? We won, we won so you need to wake up and see the world without Voldemort."

It was another hour before Harry burst into the room followed by what seemed like an endless stream of people. Everyone gathered around the savior of the wizarding world but he only had eyes for Ginny. She ran to him and he caught her and wrapped her tight in his arms.

"I'm so sorry Gin, I heard you but I just couldn't get to you." A single tear slipped down his cheek.

"It's okay, nothing happened. I'm just so happy you're alive, I'm so happy you're safe."

He bent and kissed her fiercely. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again, and as soon as you graduate I'm going to make sure I never have to."

"If that was a proposal the answer is yes," she said on a sob.

"Good. I love you."

"I love you too."

A massive cheer rose up as they kissed once more. I felt a grin spread all the way across my face as I brushed away a tear.

"Well, I miss everything don't I?"

I turned with wide teary eyes to see clear blue eyes scanning the room as Draco sat up. "Oh…"

"Winning the battle, marriage proposals, I never manage to see the good stuff."

I threw myself at him and felt like I was going to weep with gratitude when he wrapped his arms around me. "I'm so glad you're awake," I whispered.

"Hey I promised I wouldn't get myself killed," he told me.

"I'm glad you kept your promise."

"Me too." He raised my head gently with one hand and kissed me sweetly. We were interrupted by a hesitant male voice and looked up to see Harry with Ginny glued to his side.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt."

I shook my head. "It's okay, congratulations." I shifted back to my chair but slipped my hand into Draco's.

"Thank you for everything Malfoy," Harry said. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

"I just did what was right."

"Well thank you nonetheless. You look considerably better than the last time I saw you," Harry said.

Ginny spoke up then. "Hermione healed him."

Draco looked at me with a wondrous smile. "Did you really?

"Yes, with Madame Pomfrey's help."

He leaned over and kissed me soundly. "Thank you, the last thing I need is another scar."

I nodded while Ginny and Harry looked at us curiously. "So did you take care of everything?"

Harry frowned. "Well we think so."

"You think so?" Draco asked. Neither of us liked the direction this was going.

"There's one body missing."

Fear seized my heart as Draco spoke. "Who?"

"Lucius, we can't find Lucius."


	7. Save Me From the Dark

"You what?" I asked. I felt my knees shaking as I sat there.

Harry winced. "I left his body and when we went back it wasn't there. It's possible that the other Death Eaters moved his body before I got back, but I just don't know."

I squeezed Draco's hand and he rubbed his thumb back and forth across mine. "Okay."

"We'll just have to deal with things as they come I suppose."

Ginny smiled weakly. "Yeah, no reason to get all worked up over nothing right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, you're right." But in that moment I and everyone else knew I didn't mean it.

Two days later we were still attempting to clean everything up from the battle. Dozens from our side had died and many were still in the makeshift hospital we'd set up. Draco was up on his feet within hours of the news about his father, and with the all clear from Madame Pomfrey he was helping Harry and Ron clean things up. It broke my heart to see Ginny and Harry so happy while Ron was so devastated at the loss of Padma, but he was coping.

As we tried to recover I couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was coming. Though I tried to push it as far off as I could the knowledge that Lucius Malfoy could be out there somewhere was making me crazy. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that Lucius Malfoy was still out there and I was certain that he would kill Draco for what he'd done if he had the chance. It scared me how attached I'd become to Draco in the little time we'd been with each other. I was falling hard and fast at the feet of a blonde haired, blue eyed former enemy turned warrior, and I was terrified of going on without him if anything should happen.

On the third day after the battle I was working in the hospital wing. One of the most tedious tasks of the aftermath was inventorying supplies to figure out what we needed more of in the hospital, naturally that task had fallen to me. I was undertaking the daunting task when Draco came in.

"I've had a letter."

The defeat in his voice immediately let me know what had happened. I sat down and wrapped my arms tight around my body. "And?"

"My father was sighted near Hogsmeade the day after the battle. It was very brief and he hasn't been seen since. Dumbledore assures me that there's little chance he can get in the castle, but with everything so torn up by the battle…" He trailed off.

I ran my hands through my hair shakily. "If there's any chance he could get in here you should get to safety," I said.

"I'm not going anywhere; I want to make sure nothing happens to you."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about me. Keep yourself safe. We haven't been together long enough for me to come before your own well being."

He reached out and brushed a hand against my cheek. "We both know that sometimes time doesn't matter. I feel like we've had this connection for months and you matter more than a lot of things in my life. You're in more danger than you know. I've gone against everything I was ever been taught and you're a big part of that because you're you, and you're with me."

I nodded. "Okay."

"I want you to stay safe, promise me that you'll be careful."

I nodded, shaken by both our strong feelings and by the realization that I was in so much danger. "I'll be careful, I promise. Madame Pomfrey shouldn't ever be too far away. You be careful too."

"I will. I have to go speak to Dumbledore but I'll be back later. Be safe." He kissed me softly before leaving. I got back to my inventory and tried not to worry, but only a few minutes after Draco's departure all of my worst fears were to be realized.

I smiled bemusedly as I counted tongue depressors, wondering why we even had them. I dropped one more in the pile then froze when an all too familiar voice chilled me to the bone and I dropped the rest of the depressors.

"Well, if it isn't the little Mudblood whore in league with my traitorous offspring. Are you afraid of me Mudblood? Of course you are I can smell the fear rolling off you in waves. You're a wise little Halfling, you should be afraid. Right now I'm your worst nightmare.

Torturously slowly, I reached for my wand on the table in front of me. Lucius was too busy monologing to notice me pick it up. I held it carefully and spun quickly. "Bombarda!"

The window behind Malfoy's head exploded, shattering glass and making a huge amount of noise. I tried to cast another spell but Lucius was too quick.

"Expelliarmus!" My wand flew out of my hand and suddenly I found myself completely and horrifyingly defenseless. "Nice try girl, but what purpose did that serve you?"

Honestly I had been hoping that the noise would attract someone's attention. He must have caught me looking towards the door.

"If you're looking for your precious mediwitch I've already taken care of her. She'll offer you no help."

I gasped and looked around frantically for some kind of weapon. When I couldn't see anything I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed at the top of my lungs, praying that Draco or someone else would hear me. "Help! Draco!"

Lucius was on me within a second. He backhanded me hard enough to send me sprawling. "You shouldn't have done that girl. Let's see how you handle this. Crucio!"

I fell to the floor as pain took over. I've never felt anything like it before in my life. The pain was like white hot fire coursing through my veins. Tears pouring down my face, I tried my best to stay strong, but it was too much. The pain overtook me and I screamed as Lucius laughed. Suddenly the pain stopped and I turned my head to vomit violently, fighting the urge to succumb to darkness.

"Still holding on are we?" He yanked me up by one arm and I kicked violently as he tossed me onto a nearby bed. "Very well, there are other ways to hurt someone. Ways that are more fun for me. Let's see if you're worth all my son's trouble, and see how he feels about me turning his precious little Mudblood into the whore she was meant to be."

He was suddenly practically on top of me and I realized his intentions. Fear overtook me and my survival instincts kicked in full force. He was bigger and stronger than me and it felt like my struggling was futile, but I kept it up. Then I screamed as long as I could. He slapped me hard across the face, cutting me off. I bucked violently and kicked hard. I whimpered as he ripped my tank top off and tossed it across the room. I tried to cover my bra clad chest with my arms but he wouldn't let me. His hands moved roughly over my breasts and down my body and I began to sob. I kicked out fiercely, connecting with anything I could. He didn't stop.

Feeling panicked, I screamed through the tears. "Draco, Harry, please!!!"

I kicked and screamed and fought, doing all that I could as I screamed for help. Lucius' hand came down on my neck, cutting off my cries and half strangling. I looked towards the door as I fought, praying someone would walk through. His hands held my hips in a vice like grip and he unsnapped my jeans and pulled them roughly off and tossed them away. I gave my all to another kick that connected with his chest, he hardly seemed to feel it. He hooked a finger into the side of my panties and I squeezed my eyes shut as I struggled against him with all my might, sobbing.

"Hermione!"

I looked over to see Draco. His wand was pointed at his father but his eyes were focused on me. I saw a tear trace a path down his cheek. "Get off of her, now. "His voice was as low and dangerous as I had ever heard it in the seven years I'd known him.

"Now now Draco, run along and let Daddy alone until he's done with the little Mudblood whore."

"That's not going to happen. Get off her, now."

Lucius shook his head and grinned sadistically. " I don't think so Draco. This is your punishment. You turned your back on me and your heritage, you betrayed me. Now you can watch while I destroy something you cherish."

He had turned slightly to point his wand at his son with the threat. I took advantage and head butted him as hard as I could. He grabbed his nose and Draco shouted at curse. His father flew off of the bed and into the wall as Harry and Dumbledore ran into the room.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled. I scrambled off the bed and ran to his arms as Draco pointed his wand firmly at his father.

"Give me permission professor, tell me I can do what has to be done," Draco demanded desperately.

Dumbledore nodded. "Do what you must Draco."

"Avada Kedavra!"

It was over that quickly. Lucius Malfoy was dead in the corner of the hospital wing. My body was wracked with sobs and I shook in Harry's arms at the thought of what could have happened. Draco went to check that his father was really gone and then he was immediately by my side. Harry reluctantly handed me over to Draco.

"Hermione, he didn't…?"

I shook my head. "No. He didn't. I fought him Draco, I tried but he…" I broke into sobs again and he wrapped me tighter in his arms.

He whispered in my ear as he rubbed my back. "I know you tried, you fought him off. You did good. God."

I felt his tears fall in my hair and it made me cry even harder. His hands moved up and down my back and through my hair and he held me tighter. He told me later that he was afraid I might somehow float away. He pulled away slightly to look at me and there were tears shining bright in his blue eyes. "I'm so sorry Hermione, I never should have left you alone. I should have known he'd come after you. If we hadn't heard the explosion and come running…" He choked up and couldn't continue.

I shook my head. "It's not your fault Draco, it's no one's fault."

He shook his head and scooped me up. He laid me down gently on a bed across the room and collected my jeans. I slipped them on and he pulled his shirt over his head and handed it to me. I pulled it on gratefully and hugged the excess of material close to my body.

"How bad did he hurt you?"

"Mostly scrapes and bruises. He used the Cruciatus curse and Madame Promfrey will… Madame Pomfrey!"

"She's fine. Harry found her. She was tied up and unconscious but she's fine. She'll be able to check up on you later. I can't believe my father, the bastard died too quickly."

I touched his arm gently. "Don't think that way Draco, you're better than that. He's gone and that's the best thing. Wishing for anything else would make you like him, and you're not that man. Besides, I'm okay, or I will be." I took a shuddering breath and suddenly I couldn't be brave any longer. I began to weep. "Draco I was so afraid, I was so terrified."

He pulled me into his arms and rocked me as I sobbed. I remember him kissing my forehead and whispering to me before everything went black.

I woke up in a bed in the hospital wing hours later. Draco was sitting next to my bed, holding tight to my hand. The minute I woke he called over Madame Pomfrey, who seemed okay other than a bump on the head.

"Hermione dear, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't left…"

I silenced her with a gesture of my hand. "This isn't you're fault, it's actually no one's fault," I said with a pointed look at Draco. She nodded and went to fix me a dreamless sleep potion.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked.

"Okay, given the circumstances. Why did I pass out?"

"Stress, you've been through a lot and your body needed rest."

I nodded. "Draco, will you make sure that she lets me out in time for the funerals? I have to go."

"I'll do my best."

"Out Mr. Malofy, Ms. Granger needs her rest!"

"Draco," I said softly as he rose to leave.

He looked at me with wide questioning eyes. "Yeah?"

I pulled him down and kissed him softly. "Thank you for saving me."

"Anytime," he replied. He smiled, a rare genuine smile that made my heart stop. Though I knew that I wouldn't be okay for a long time, when he left I felt a little bit better.


	8. Help Me Say Goodbye

The day of the funerals was unbearably hard for all of us. We all watched as the caskets were lowered, we all listened as the words were spoken and we all leaned on each other for support. It didn't matter, nothing helped. The wound was too new and too raw to be closed that easily or soon. We all dropped flowers and I stood next to Draco as he dropped a single flower on top of Blaise's casket. It was a black rose.

"I'm not sure what to do with myself," he told me as a single tear slipped from his impossibly blue eyes. "He was a good friend."

I knew that nothing I could say in that moment would be enough. Rather than attempting to soothe him with words I wrapped my arms around him and leaned into him. In the moment that was my comfort for him. When everything was said and done we all went inside to mill about in the Great Hall. There was food set around in case anyone was hungry, though nobody was moving towards it. Dumbledore's podium was set up in case anyone wanted to say anything publicly.

Draco and I stood away from the crowd, just talking. At first people avoided us like the plague; nobody quite understood his role in the war, and everyone was still wary of his alliances. Gradually though, people started to float over and speak to us. At first they only talked to me and somewhat distantly acknowledged Draco's presence, but first the Weasleys and then Seamus' family thanked him for what he'd done, and slowly but surely people seemed to realize it was okay to talk to both of us. The Patil twins' parents were moving away to talk to Dumbledore when Ron walked up with Harry and Ginny. The look that passed between Padma's mother and Ron made my heart ache; in that moment in Ron's eyes I could see a true manifestation of anguish and pain. The Patil family moved on and the Weasleys and Harry came to stand with Draco and me.

"Hi," Ginny managed weakly.

It was the first time I'd seen her since my encounter with Lucius and I hugged her tightly. "Hi." I pulled away and looked into her eyes shining with tears. "We'll talk," I said.

She nodded. "Yes." She stepped back and Harry immediately took her into his arms.

"I don't think we've really thanked you properly for everything you've done, Mal… Sorry, Draco," Ron said. "If it hadn't been for you I hate to think what would have happened."

"Ron's right, what you did for Ginny and Hermione, it means more than you'll ever know," Harry told him, and I saw Ginny squeeze his hand.

Draco shook his head. "I only did what was right. No woman should be violated that way, and any bastard who tries deserves whatever he gets. Plus I wasn't about to let anything happen to Hermione or anyone she loves." He said sincerely, turning to drop a kiss on my forehead.

"Thank you Draco," Ginny whispered.

He nodded. "You're welcome Ginny."

They stayed to talk for a moment and then Harry was called away by one of the professors and Ginny and Ron went to find their family. As they walked away I felt something grip my heart and I looked up at Draco. "I'll be right back." Running, I caught up with them and asked to speak with Ron.

"Are you okay Hermione?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not yet, but I think I will be in time. I wanted to see how you're doing."

He took a shuddering breath. "I'm doing…" He paused and shook his head. "I can't stop thinking about her, Hermione. I saw her die, and there was nothing I could do."

"I'm so sorry Ron."

"I was going to ask her to marry me, if we got through it. I had the ring and everything. I guess I know now that it's never wise to hope too much." He said, his blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

I shook my head. "Ron, you couldn't have known. It's always better to hope, its hope that keeps us alive."

He nodded. "You're right, I know you are. We all knew the risks; I just never imagined it would be her. But I'll be okay eventually, just like you."

I hugged him tightly and when we pulled apart he managed a small smile. "You're happy with him aren't you?" He asked.

I nodded with a grin. "The happiest I've been in a long time."

"Then hold on to him."

I nodded and watched him as he went to his parents. I waved at Mrs. Weasley then went back to Draco. I must have had some kind of strange look on my face because he turned his head to one side and regarded me curiously.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

I went into his arms and pressed my hands against his back. "Just wondering at Ron's new found wisdom, and thinking how sad it is that it had to be brought on by the death of someone he loved. He was going to marry her, Draco."

He let out a hard breath and held me closer. "How can he stand it?"

"I'm beginning to realize that he is much stronger than I ever could have imagined."

Later in the night a hushed silence fell as Dumbledore stepped up to the podium to speak. "We're here today to mourn, and to celebrate the lives of those who died in their efforts to rid our world of the poison of Lord Voldemort and his followers. Though it is a small comfort, their families should be proud of the knowledge that their loved ones died for such a noble cause. At this time I would like to take a moment to acknowledge two young men who were essential to the downfall of Lord Voldemort."

Everyone looked around slightly confused. They all knew that Dumbledore referred to Harry, but they weren't sure who the other young man was. I knew immediately, and my heart caught in my throat. "Oh," I whispered.

Dumbledore continued. "Harry Potter has defeated Voldemort countless times in the past, and it was he who was ultimately responsible for his final demise. And Draco Malfoy…" Whispers rose from the crowd; apparently nobody realized what an integral part Draco had played in Voldemort's downfall. "Mr. Malfoy made the choice to take the dangerous job of spy. The information he was able to give us allowed our forces to adequately prepare and break through the Death Eaters' defenses. Would Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy please join me at the podium?"

Ginny slid up next to me as Draco and Harry walked up to the front of the hall together. She linked her arm with mine. "They look wonderful don't they?" she asked proudly.

"They really do," I said, fighting back tears. We both looked up again as Dumbledore began to speak again.

"Both of these young men will be invested with the highest honors of the Wizarding world," he said, eyes twinkling.

A roar of cheering and applause rose up and both Harry and Draco looked both happy and embarrassed as they walked back towards us. Ginny and I both hugged each of them and Harry was almost immediately pulled away. Draco saw a surge of people coming towards us and his eyes widened. With a look of distress he took my hand and rushed us both away before they could reach us. When we were safe in the entryway, away from the people he leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief.

I folded my arms against my chest and tried to suppress a smile. "You're not comfortable with all this attention are you?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I could tell you almost word for word the questions they're going to ask. 'Do you have the Dark Mark?' 'Can I see it?' 'How could you betray your entire family?' 'How could you kill your father?' I'm a sideshow, and I understand that, but I'm not ready to answer those questions."

"I understand." I frowned. "Let's not go back in there."

"Thank God." I squealed as he pulled me into his arms. "I was hoping you'd say that."

I laughed and kissed him soundly. "Let's find somewhere to hide."

A few days later classes had resumed so that we could finish the year relatively close to when we should have. Once again I had started spending a great deal of time in the library, and it was there that Ginny found me just before closing one night.

"You managed to give Harry the slip?" I asked with a smile.

She sat down and heaved a sigh. "I love him, and I appreciate his concern, but it's like he's afraid I'll break. You should know. Draco seems like he's terrified to leave you alone."

I nodded. "He is. He's still so haunted by the fact that he killed his father."

"I was just wondering if you'd like to have that talk now."

"I would, yes."

There was an awkward pause. "I don't know how to start a conversation like this," she said, shaking her head.

"It's hard to know where to start, but it's comforting to know that there's someone who understands."

She nodded and let her head fall. When she raised it again her eyes, in that moment so like Ron's, were filled with tears. "It was so frightening Hermione. He was so much bigger than me, and even though I fought I couldn't get free. I kept screaming for Harry and Ron but I knew neither of them could get to me. I was so terrified that…"

She trailed off and I took her hand in mine. "I know. In the end I was so sure that there was nothing else I could do. All I could do was fight and scream."

"It seems like Draco is our own private savior. I owe him more than I can ever express."

"I do as well. He was so angry and so afraid for me. Lucius was cruel, he wanted me to be a lesson, but Draco was only concerned for me. He saved me from something worse than death." The conversation paused and suddenly it was as if the clouds opened and light poured into me. My heart clenched painfully once then opened and filled to bursting. "Oh God," I gasped.

"Hermione are you okay?" Ginny asked her voice full of concern.

I shook my head and pressed my hand to my heart. "Oh God, God I'm in love with him." I whispered.

She looked at me with wide eyes. "Hermione are you sure? It's only been a few months."

"How did you know it was Harry?" I asked.

"I just knew. It snuck up on me and in an instant I knew he was it for me."

"That's how I feel, in this instant. I feel like… I don't know that I can describe it. I just know."

Ginny nodded. "Then it's right."

That night the two of us talked for hours. When we were kicked out of the library we went to Gryffindor tower and it was well into the early morning before we both drifted off. The next morning I met Draco at breakfast with a smile on my face.

"Having a good morning?" he asked.

I nodded. "I am. Ginny and I talked last night."

"Good. Are you going to be okay?"

"Everybody keeps asking me that," I said, shaking my head. "It's going to take some time, but I will be."

He gathered me in his arms and kissed me softly. "Good."


	9. Scars Remind Us the Past Is Real

In the grand tradition of life, time marched on. Our lives slowly began to return to normal as classes started back up and everyone slowly adjusted to our new world. Of course it was so hard every day to think about the people we'd lost and to know that they weren't able to see the world they'd help create. But we muddled through life. Day by day it became easier to breathe again and our hearts didn't clench every time someone said certain names. Life was different without out friends, life slowly got better. We remembered them every day, but the pain slowly dulled.

When we weren't in class Draco and I spent a lot of time together. Mostly we talked, taking the time to really get to know each other. I heard about his history with Blaise and wished that I could have gotten to know him better; Draco told me he wanted to meet my dental obsessed parents. We talked about all the important things and all of the trivial things, and every time we saw each other we got closer. I didn't tell him how I felt. I fell more in love with him every day, but I still wasn't sure that the time was right, so I decided to keep it to myself for a while. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep it quiet.

Draco and I were sitting together in the library one day talking about what we had always wanted to be when we grew up when Dumbledore walked in. I stopped mid-sentence and my mouth dropped open. I searched my mind but I couldn't seem to remember having ever seen Dumbledore in the library before. He had become rather hands on of late, but this was unusual even for him.

"Professor?" I asked.

Dumbledore stopped in front of Draco and me and frowned. "Hello you two," he said kindly.

Something about the look on his face brought panic rushing forward and I spoke to him with a quaking voice. "Is something wrong professor?" I asked.

He nodded. "I'm afraid so Miss Granger. Draco, I've just received some correspondence from the Ministry. I'm afraid they have summoned you to stand trial for your father's death."

Silence fell hard around us and I took a deep breath to force down the bile that rose in my throat. "How can they do that? Don't they know what Draco's done for them? He saved me!"

Draco shook his head. "Its okay, Hermione."

I looked at him with tears shining in my eyes. "It's not. You saved me, you saved Ginny, you literally helped save the world and they want to…" I broke off.

"I know how you must feel, Miss Granger, and I too have expressed my displeasure, but our new Minister is adamant. Mr. Malfoy will have to stand trial."

"I'll go," Draco said firmly. He turned to look me in the eyes and took my hand. "I'll go and it'll all be fine. I promise you."

I nodded, and that was that, but inside I was terrified that this was all going to go horribly wrong. I was terrified that they wouldn't accept the truth, and the thought that Draco could go to Azkaban if they didn't believe me made my heart stop in my chest. But all I could do was watch and wait.

It took hours and a whole lot of yelling to convince Draco that I should be there, but I won in the end, and two days later he and I along with Dumbledore took a portkey from Hogsmeade to the Ministry of Magic. I took Draco's hand the moment we hit the ground in London and immediately decided I wouldn't let go until I absolutely had to. We went through the motions, got our badges, had our wands checked, and Dumbledore led us to the room I knew Harry had been tried in only a few years before.

We stopped outside and Draco pulled me into his arms and kissed me sweetly. "It's going to be fine," he said.

I nodded and kissed him again before Dumbledore led me to my seat and Draco took his seat in the middle of the room. I looked up at the stern looking Head of the Wizengamot and felt my heart constrict. He didn't look like a man who would be merciful. He was surrounded by a wide array of wizards and witches, not many of whom I knew. None of them looked particularly in the mood to be kind. I felt my nails bite into my hands as they began to ask questions.

"Draco Malfoy," the stern wizard boomed. "You have been brought here to stand trial for the murder of Lucius Malfoy. This wizengamot will decide your fate. Do you willingly admit that you took your father's life?"

"I do," Draco replied placidly.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

I distantly saw the familiar blue eyes flash as he looked up at them. "We believed that my father had been killed in the battle at Hogwarts. Once it was all over it became painfully clear that it wasn't the case. He was spotted near Hogsmeade a few days later. Needless to say I was worried, for myself and for the other people in my life." He shot a quick glance at me. "I knew that my father would be out for my blood, but I never dreamed that he'd go after Hermione…"

The witch sitting to the left of the Head of the Wizengamot cut him off. "Are you referring to Hermione Granger?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," Draco said with a nod.

The witch glanced down at her notes. "Are we to understand that the two of you are in a relationship?"

"Yes," he managed.

I heard her let out something that sounded suspiciously like a snort before the Head spoke again. "Continue Mr. Malfoy."

I saw Draco's eyes narrow ever so slightly before he continued. "I left Hermione in the hospital wing assisting Madame Pomfrey in her inventory while I went to meet with Professor Dumbledore. While I was gone Lucius attacked Hermione. I heard her calling out for me and ran back upstairs. Hermione couldn't get away and my father was threatening her. I got him away from her and did what I had to do."

My heart was pounding in my chest as he finished. There were large chunks of the story missing, things that would make his innocence painfully clear. I could only hope that the more questions were asked the more would come to light.

"Mr. Malfoy," a wizard cast in shadow asked. "Could you have not simply stunned your father and left him to the Ministry? Why did you feel it was your duty to kill him?"

Draco answered with utter conviction. "My father was a murderous bastard. He beat me on a daily basis from the day I turned five until he was sent to Azkaban, and until I took the mark he had some of his cronies continue his work. When I wasn't handy he used my mother as a punching bag. He attacked Hermione and would have condemned her to a fate worse than death. He deserved to die, plain and simple."

The Head of the Wizengamot regarded him coolly. "Very well Mr. Malfoy, is there anything else you wish to tell us?"

He shot a warning glance in my direction and shook his head. "No, there's nothing else."

In that moment I lost control. I felt Dumbledore's hand on my arm but I sprang from my seat anyway. "No!" I yelled.

"Miss Granger control yourself," the Head told me.

"Don't do this Draco," I pleaded.

"Miss Granger what are you talking about?"

"He hasn't told you everything." I whispered.

The wizard's look seemed to say that he knew Draco had been hiding something, but he turned to me. Very well Miss Granger, what do you wish to add?"

"Hermione you don't have to do this," Draco said sadly.

"Be quiet Mr. Malfoy," one of the wizards barked.

"When Draco said I was attacked, he left out some rather important details. I was doing inventory when Lucius Malfoy found me. He hit me several times and performed the Cruciatus curse. I fought back as hard as I could, but he was much bigger than me, and I didn't have a wand. He… he threw me on a bed…" I squeezed my eyes shut against tears but they came anyway. "Lucius made it perfectly clear that his intention was to rape me. By the time Draco got to me my pants and shirt were gone and my underclothes were about to follow. He was choking me and even though I kicked and screamed and fought I couldn't get free. Draco killed his father, yes, but it was what Lucius Malfoy deserved. Draco saved me from being violated in the worst way. He saved Ginny Weasley from the same fate during the battle." As I finished speaking with conviction I looked back at Draco. He was intently focused on me and in that instant I saw the same emotions from that day playing across his face.

"Is this true Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco nodded.

"Why on earth would you omit such crucial details from your story?"

He turned back to face them. "Why would I put her through that again? She's working so hard already to heal, why would I have made her relive the moment again?"

It was quiet in the room for a long while. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe. I needed to hear the words that would tell me that they were letting him go, that he had done the right thing. They conversed for nearly ten minutes before they turned back to face Draco.

"Though Miss Granger's methods for revealing evidence are rather unorthodox, we agree that the information she had brought forth certainly changes things Mr. Malfoy. The Wizengamot agrees that considering the contributions you made to the war effort and the fact that Miss Granger was saved from a horrible fate along with Miss Weasley, you did not act inappropriately. Your father was one of the worst offenders against our world, and he certainly was deserving of his fate. In light of all this we agree that there is really no reason for you to be here in the first place. You're free to go Mr. Malfoy."

I let out a sob and collapsed into my chair.

"Thank you," Draco said sincerely.

We managed to remain relatively calm until we were out of the room. However, the minute the door closed behind us I launched myself into his arms and kissed him long and hard. When we pulled apart he pressed his forehead to mine and sighed. "Thank you," you may have just saved my life."

"Well I owed you didn't I? Thank you for the concern but you're an idiot!" I cried, smacking him upside the head. "You could've landed yourself in Azkaban!"

"I know, I know," he said before bringing his lips to mine softly. "Thank you for making sure I didn't."

"Welcome. We'd better get Dumbledore and head back to the castle and share the good news." I turned to leave but he caught my by the wrist and pulled me back. "What?" I asked curiously. He lifted me off my feet and kissed me more passionately than he ever had before. I wrapped my legs around his waist and poured all of my earlier fears and my love and gratitude into the kiss. When Dumbledore cleared his throat I slid to the floor with my cheeks burning.

"Sorry Professor," Draco said sheepishly.

"Nonsense," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "I do remember what its like to be young, though I will admit that it was some time ago. I remember young love well, and it is one of the sweetest experiences in life. Shall we return?"

In no time at all Draco and I walked hand in hand through the front doors of the school. When we arrived there was a crowd of students and professors waiting to hear the verdict. They caught Draco and my smiles and the grin on Dumbledore's face and began to cheer.

"I take it its good news then?" Ginny asked.

"They let him go!" I cried ecstatically. "There won't be any punishment!"

Everyone crowded around us to congratulate Draco. There was a round of hand shaking and back patting and hugging and ten minutes later it was still going on.

"Oh Draco, I forgot. Madame Pomfrey wanted to speak with you as soon as you got back," Harry told him, and I could have sworn I saw him wink.

Draco immediately realized Harry was giving him an out from all the attention and took it with a grateful smile. "I'll come find you," he told me before he slipped off.

An hour later I was in my quarters reading when there was a knock at the portrait. A smile came immediately to my face when it occurred to me that it was probably Draco. I hurried to let him in and he stepped past me with a dazed look on his face.

"What happened?" I asked, immediately concerned. Without answering my questions he went to stand in front of my little couch, turned and just stood there. "Draco?"

"Madame Pomfrey found a way to get rid of all of my scars," he told me.

I stood there shell shocked. "I just assumed your father made them permanent," I whispered.

"So did I, but she's found a way. She started looking into it when I was in hospital after I got stabbed and she's figured it out."

I crossed to the couch and took a seat as he turned to face me. "Okay, okay so when can she fix it?"

"She already has."

I couldn't help the amazement that I know must have been so apparent on my face. "She already… Oh." I paused and looked up at him. "Can I… I mean can I see?"

He nodded and pulled his shirt off just as he had that day months before. This time there was no pain in his eyes as he backed up to let me see his entire chest that had been so completely marred by scars. The first thing I noticed was that one remained; the one that wrapped almost all the way around his body. Other than that one scar, what I had assumed that first day was true. In my mind he looked like a god, and pale perfection were the perfect words to describe his body.

"You left one?" I asked.

He nodded. "So I never forget where I've been or where I want to go. I wouldn't let her take the tear either."

I nodded and closed the distance between us. I circled around him, trailing my hands across the newly smooth skin of his back and when I returned so that we were face to face I traced the raised flesh of that one remaining scar. "That first day, the only thing I could think was how I wanted to kiss every single on of those scars until all of the pain was gone from your eyes." I bent and pressed a kiss to the scar where it angled across his chest. As I did tears I could no longer prevent fell against his skin.

"Hey," he said. He lifted my head gently with a hand under my chin. "None of that."

"I can't help it," I whispered, pressing my face to his chest and my palms against his back.

He gathered me in his arms and held me close. "It's strange. I've lived with my body the way it was for so long that it's odd for all of the scars to be gone, but it's liberating." He pulled back just enough that he could look into my eyes. "You were the first person who was able to look completely past the scars and see me for who I am. You were the first person to embrace all of me."

"I know, and I want you to know that with or without the scars, I love you."

A charged silence fell between us and I waited with bated breath for him to say something, anything. "I love you too Hermione."

I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him sweetly. I felt then and I still felt now that that kiss was the perfect seal to such a declaration." We pulled apart and gazed up into those vividly blue eyes I'd fallen in love with from the beginning. "Are we crazy?"

"Love is always crazy, but it's timeless. After all that we've been through I feel like we've been together for a lifetime. Some people will think we've lost our minds, but it's not up to them."

"You're right," I said before kissing him again. "I don't care what everybody else thinks. We're the only ones that matter."

"Good."


	10. My Happy Ending

'Everything you just heard about happened over six years ago. Now I've been Mrs. Malfoy for four years and earlier today I walked from my ward in St. Mungo's to Ginny's hospital room, where my Goddaughter was born two days ago. Ginny and Harry were married shortly after she graduated from Hogwarts, but this baby is their first. Neither of them was ready for a baby at 17 and 18, so they waited and now they have little Lily Padma Potter. And I went to see her earlier for the umpteenth time since she was born.

I walked into the room and stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching as Ginny cooed over the baby. She looked up at me apologetically and I grinned at her.

"How is it that you still manage to look radiant after 18 hours of labor and two days in a hospital bed?" I asked.

"I've got a wand," she replied with a smile. "How is it that you still manage to look gorgeous after a full day of work?"

"You're not the only one with a wand," I responded with a laugh. "How's my Goddaughter?"

I can't even begin to describe how wide she smiled. "She's amazing. I'm sure I won't be saying that when I can't sleep through the night, but she's amazing."

"Yes she is. Can I hold her?" I sat as Ginny nodded and handed her to me. I held her tenderly, stroking the soft head of black hair. I was talking and cooing at the baby incessantly when Harry walked in grinning.

"So when are you and Draco going to have one of your own?" he asked as he sat down next to the bed.

I giggled. "Let's see how we handle Jess before we decide to have a baby."

He smiled at me. "How is the puppy?"

"Draco got off work before me and headed home to check on her. When I talked to him just before I came up here he had her cornered and was trying to convince her that his wand isn't a chew toy. He wanted to come see you and Lily but considering the circumstances…" I trailed off as just the thought made me smile.

"It amazes me how in love the two of you still are," Ginny sighed.

"I knew from the beginning he was the one for me," I said. "Anyway you two should talk."

The pair of them grinned at each other and the baby started to fuss. I looked up at the clock on the wall and started. "I didn't realize how late it was, visiting hours are almost over." I handed the baby over to Harry with a sigh. "We'll see you at the welcome home party in a few days."

We said our goodbyes and I headed out of the building. I ducked down an alley and apparated home. When I walked into our spacious living room the first thing I saw was Draco draped haphazardly over the couch with an arm over his eyes. I looked down at his silky impossibly blonde hair and all of the sudden all I could think of was holding a baby with his hair and my eyes. Then he moaned.

"Where's the dog?" I asked, trying to keep the humor out of my voice as I looked around for our new Husky puppy.

"Outside, and lucky to be alive," he muttered.

I sat down next to him and set my hand on his arm gently. "Who won the battle?"

"I need a new wand," he growled.

I couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped and before I had a second to react I was on my back, pinned to the couch with Draco looming over me with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

"Think that's funny?" he asked.

"Hilarious actually," I laughed.

He bent lower, bringing his mouth barely a breath from mine. "I'll just bet."

He lowered his mouth to mine and I kissed him fiercely. "I've wanted to do that all day."

"Far be it from me to stop you." He kissed me again then lowered himself so that he lay behind me, curled against my back.

"Draco?" I asked.

"Mhmm?" He responded, kissing the back of my neck.

"I…" I trailed off.

"Hermione you know you can tell me anything."

"I know." I take a steadying breath before I begin again. "I want to have a baby."

He went absolutely still against my back and in an instant he was hovering above me again. "You want a baby?"

I nodded. "I do. I was holding Lily earlier and I told Harry and Ginny that we were going to wait a while, but then I came home and all I could think of was holding a baby that I'd carried, that we'd made."

He regarded me intensely for a minute before he broke into a grin. "I've been thinking the same thing ever since I first held Lily. Want to start trying?"

I laughed out loud. "Is that a proposition Mr. Malfoy?"

"Maybe Mrs. Malfoy."

I pulled him down and kissed him slowly. "Well if it was, there's your answer."

And now here I am, sitting at my computer and finishing the last few sentences of my story. It may sound outrageous, but Draco Malfoy changed my life. He brought me back to life, saved my life in more ways than one, and turned out to be the love of my life. I can't imagine my life without him. It may sound cliché but…'

Draco comes up behind me and presses a kiss against my hair. "Come to bed love."

I turn to give him a real kiss. "Just give me one minute."

'We all live happily ever after.

The end.'


End file.
